You’re my honeybunch, sugarplum
pumpy . . umpy . . umpkin
You’re my sweetie pie
You’re my cuppycake
gumdrop, snookems, snookems
You’re the apple of my eye

Justin hid his face in his hands, “Mom, how could you show that,�Ehe moaned.

“Justin that was adorable, I don’t want to hear another word about it,�ELynn Harliss stated, stopping the video, and picking up glasses to take to the kitchen.

“Yeah Justin, that was adorable.�EChris cooed, pinching Justin’s cheeks.

Justin shoved Chris away from him, “Shut up asshole,�Ehe said, burying his face again.

“Aww Justin, it wasn’t that bad. At least, it wasn’t a Mickey Mouse Club song.�EJoey said, laughing hysterically.

Lance shook his head, at his laughing friends, “It was cute Justin. At least you weren’t naked, my mom likes to pull out the naked pictures,�ELance said, trying to make Justin feel better.

Chris noticed that JC hadn’t said anything about the video. “Hey JC, what do you think? Should our little Juju perform that solo for the next album?�EChris asked, laughing uncontrollably.

JC looked thoughtfully at Justin, “Sing it,�Ehe stated, simply.

“Sing it? What the hell are you smoking?�EJustin asked, eyeing JC suspiciously.

“Nothing. Now sing it, I wanna hear it again.�EJC said, staring intently at Justin.

Justin turned to JC, “If you wanna hear it again, play the fucking video.�Ehe said, in exasperation.

“Justin Randall, watch your mouth.�ELynn ordered, as she walked back into the room.

“Sorry Mom.�EJustin apologized, looking at the floor.

“Aww come on Justin, you know you want to.�EChris wheedled, trying not to laugh.

Lynn looked at Chris pointedly, “Christopher, what kind of trouble, are you trying to talk my son into now,�ELynn asked.

Chris turned to Lynn, “Nothing Lynn, JC wants to hear Justin sing the song,�Ehe said, innocently.

“Justin, sing the song for JC.�ELynn said, sitting beside Justin on the sofa.

“No mom, I’m singing it. Never again.�EJustin replied, crossing his arms over his chest with a stubborn look.

Lynn rubbed Justin’s back, “Now Justin, you have to sing it some time. You used to say that you’ll sing that song, to the first person that you fall in love with,�Eshe said, trying to cajole him into singing the song.

“Aww, our little Justy’s a romantic,�EJoey teased, walking over to the sofa and ruffling Justin’s hair.

“When you fall in love, will you sing it?�EJC asked, watching Justin closely. “Yeah, only for the one I love.�EJustin answered, uneasy under JC’s close scrutiny.

JC watched Justin for another second, “Cool,�Ehe stated, simply dropping the subject.

Soon after the discussion of the song, everyone decided to go to bed.

Justin couldn’t sleep, he’d been thinking non-stop about JC asking him to sing the song. He decided to go downstairs and get a drink. As he was approaching the bottom of the stairs, he heard the familiar song once again. He crept quietly toward the living room doorway. He expected to see his mother watching the video again. She often got sentimental, and would sit and watch old home movies at night. What he saw was the last person he expected to see. JC was sitting directly in front of the television, watching a young Justin sing.

“What are you doing Josh?�EJustin asked, speaking softly, not wanting to startle his friend.

JC quickly stopped the video, “Nothing. I couldn’t sleep,�Ehe said, looking sheepishly at the floor.

“Why are you watching that stupid video again?�EJustin asked, wondering why JC was acting so strangely.

“I wanted to hear you sing the song again.�EJC said, still not looking at Justin.

Justin sat on the floor beside JC, “Yeah, but that’s not really me, I don’t sound like that anymore,�EJustin whispered, becoming more confused.

JC looked finally looked at Justin, “I know, but it’s the closest that I’ll get to hearing you sing it,�Ehe said, then jumping to his feet and fleeing the room.

Justin sat on the floor, contemplating what had just happened. JC wanted to hear him sing the song. He wondered if JC could have feelings for him. He rose from the floor, leaving the room to go look for JC.

JC lay in the hammock in the backyard. He cursed himself, for telling Justin what he had. He feared, that he would lose Justin’s friendship. He knew, that Justin would never love him back. He was happy being his best friend, now he’d lost that.

Justin finally found JC, after searching the whole house. He walked barefoot out to the hammock. He steadied it and crawled in next to JC, wrapping his arms around him. He laid his head next to JC’s, staring into his eyes.

“Justin, what . .�EJustin placed his hand over JC’s mouth, as he began to speak.

Justin slowly removed his hand, “Shh�Ehe whispered, gently caressing JC’s hair.

You’re my honeybunch, sugarplum
pumpy . . umpy . . umpkin
You’re my sweetie pie
You’re my cuppycake
gumdrop, snookems, snookems
You’re the apple of my eye

Justin gently wiped the tears from JC’s face, as he ended the song.

“Justin, you didn’t have to sing for me. The song was special to you." JC whispered, burying his face in Justin’s neck.

Justin moved JC’s face from his neck, “Josh you idiot, don’t you get it? You’re special to me, I love you," he said, slowly bringing their lips together.

THE END